PNP nabs S. Korean fugitive

MANILA — The Philippine National Police (PNP) has arrested a South Korean fugitive in Makati City.

Yong Ho Jeon, 32, was arrested by elements of the Southern Police District (SPD) at Room 2304 of Milano Residences in Century City, Makati City last March 25 by virtue of a Korean red notice or judicial decision issued on July 22, 2016 by the Jeonju District Court in South Korea.

PNP Chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, in a press conference in Camp Crame, Quezon City on Monday, presented Jeon to the members of the media, who is wanted in South Korea for swindling his compatriots for a total amount of 6 billion Korean won.

Also presented were two other suspects, a couple, who were arrested in Benguet last March 29.

The suspects were apprised of their constitutional rights and brought to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Anti-Transnational Crime Unit (CIDG-ATCU) office in Camp Crame for proper disposition.

Dela Rosa noted that Jeon is part of a group of South Korean nationals who established a call center in South Korea sometime in 2015.

Their group targets Korean individuals and company who are planning to borrow large sum of money from banks and other financial institutions.

The group calls their target and pretend as staff or connected with financial institutions and asked for money allegedly to be used in the facilitation of the loans.

The group was able to establish a database of the profile of their victims which is used for their extortion activities.

From 2015 to 2016, the members of the group were able to collect about 6 billion Korean won from their victims.

The victims filed cases against the group before the South Korean Court. Jeon, along with his cohorts, fled to Manila in 2015.

The suspects stayed in Malate, Manila where they again established telephone fraud and extortion and protection racket activities.

Jeon and his group are believed to have joined with other South Korean groups in the Philippines, which are engaged in extortion, kidnapping, contract killing, protection racket and other criminal activities.

Jeon transferred to Milano Condo residences in January where he was arrested on March 25, 2017 by the CIDG.

He was renting a unit together with his mother and South Korean wife. PNA-northboundasia.com